A two-stage full-arch ridge expansion technique: review of the literature and clinical guidelines.

Ridge expansion techniques have been acknowledged to offer several advantages in the correction of ridge deformities. The expanded defect heals in a similar manner to an extraction socket. In selected cases patients can wear their dentures after surgery. Secondary surgical sites are not a prerequisite, and simultaneous implant placement can be achieved during ridge expansion. The limitation of this technique lies in its inability to create bone vertically. Therefore, it is not indicated for the correction of vertical defects. The application of the split ridge expansion technique has been reported in the literature as it pertains to partially edentulous deficient ridges. The purpose of this article was to present the application of the split ridge expansion technique in the fully edentulous maxilla and discuss the distinction between the immediate or one-stage approach and the delayed or two-stage approach. Histologic results are discussed. Two case reports demonstrate the results that can be obtained with this technique.